I recently returned from a 3 week (business) trip to Egypt. I tried to maintain my keto lifestyle out there but found it very difficult. Every meal is mostly bread and koshari, a mix of rice and vermicelli, with only small amounts of meat or fat. But the carb overload was not the most difficult part. I found that working in the Egyptian sun, I couldn't retain adequate salt levels. Bone broth or stock was not easily available and table salt was not served with meals.
Essentially, carbs formed an essential part of the Egyptian diet to raise insulin levels in order to retain salt in the hot climate. However, as the standard of living has increased in Egypt, diabetes has become rife in Egypt. And if anything, Egypt has joined the West in the obesity epidemic.
So, for the 3 weeks I was away from home, I added small amounts of carbs (about 50g/day) to my diet to offset the salt losses I was experiencing. It got me through the 48 degree C heat of Egypt in good stead, and it did not significantly set me back on my ketogenic lifestyle.
